Archive for March 2012

An exciting initiative is underway at The Tewksbury Elementary School. Twelve students are currently participating in a brain-based reading initiative called Fast-ForWord.

What is FastForWord?

It is a series of computer-delivered brain fitness exercises designed to produce dramatic language and reading improvements in a variety of student populations by improving memory, attention, and processing skills. The Fast ForWord products support existing curriculum—they don’t replace it. When students process more efficiently, every other instructional strategy works better.

What sre some of the gains that students make?

Increased self-esteem

A new excitement towards learning

Better listening and communication skills

Improved ability to follow directions

Improved reading abilities

Better academic performance

To date the twelve students are completely engaged in the daily lessons and have already displayed signs of improvement in the classroom. The teachers who are participating in this initiative have put forth a great deal of effort into mastering the technical aspects of the instructional strategies that comprise the program. They are currently providing a great deal of support to their students.

A training session has been scheduled for the parents of the participating students. The goal of this session is to provide the parents with a greater awareness of how and why the program works. In addition, the parents will be able to better monitor the progress of their children at home.

Information and data generated from this initiative will be presented in the form of an “Action Research” report that will be presented in June.